Tyke’s rebellion

Tyke was a professional working-elephant who attempted her first escape from circus prison in April 1993, and a second three months later. These acts were, in the parlance of human psychology, cries for help. In August of 1994, she tried again. At a Circus International performance in Honolulu, Tyke turned on her trainer (who was described as a “punishment-type”), killing him, before seriously injuring her groomer. She then bolted for the door. The promoter attempted to corral her, and he too was wounded. As the terrified elephant made a desperate run for freedom down a Hawaii street, police opened fire. 86 times.

Tyke’s owner, the Hawthorn Corporation, had a long history of animal care violations. Documentation on Tyke first surfaced in 1988: “The elephant handler was observed beating the single-tusk African elephant in public to the point [where] the elephant was screaming and bending down on three legs to avoid being hit. Even when the handler walked by the elephant after this, the elephant screamed and veered away, demonstrating fear from his presence.” In 2004, after it had been cited for 19 violations of the Animal Welfare Act, the USDA finally ordered Hawthorn to relinquish its 16 enslaved elephants.

Elephants are among the planet’s most intelligent beings. They are self-aware, use tools, retain cultural memory, and clearly communicate to one another. And, mourn their dead. Biologist Anthony Martin-Hall (Elephant Destiny, Martin Meredith):

“The entire family of a dead matriarch, including her young calf were all gently touching her body with their trunks and tried to lift her. The elephant herd were all rumbling loudly. The calf was observed to be weeping and made sounds that sounded like a scream but then the entire herd fell incredibly silent. They then began to throw leaves and dirt over the body and broke off tree branches to cover her. They spent the next 2 days quietly standing over her body. They sometimes had to leave to get water or food, but they would always return.”

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey currently owns 52 elephants. In an internal email disclosed during a 2009 Endangered Species trial, an assistant vet said this: “…after this morning’s baths, at least 4 of the elephants came in with multiple abrasions and lacerations from the hooks. …Jimmy applied silvadene and wonder dust just before the show.”

And Deborah Fahrenbruck, an animal behaviorist for Feld Entertainment (Ringling’s parent company), wrote to Mr. Feld himself: “Last night in the show I observed him hook Lutzi under the trunk three times and behind the leg once in an attempt to line her up for the T-mount. After the act I stopped backstage and observed blood in small pools and dripped along the length of the rubber and all the way inside the barn. …I talked to Troy the next morning. …His main point being…what happens in the elephant barn stays in the barn.”

Two former Ringling employees, Archele Hundley and Bob Tom, claim that Ringling knew of USDA inspections in advance. More damning was their witness to a violent 30-minute beating by trainer Sacha Houcke. At one point, after inserting a bullhook inside the elephant’s ear canal, Houcke proceeded to yank with full force; the elephant cried out in agony. Hundley and Tom also saw elephants urinating, defecating, and trumpeting in fear at the sound of trainers’ voices. For Tyke, that fear had to end. Psychologically tortured for far too long, the gentle giant finally said, “Enough.” Enough.

Patrick J Battuello

5 Responses

This is absolutely heartbreaking. Humans are so violent and cruel…I just cannot comprehend the acts of cruelty towards such innocent, magnificent creatures. It never ends. Tyke, RIP…I pray your spirit lives on and you can finally experience peace and joy.

This majestic Elephant did not deserve to die like that…in the hands of evil subhumans. He was snatched away as a baby from his family & being brought to another unfamiliar land and brutally abused to perform act according to those bastard circus subhumans and finally this poor soul had enough & went to find his freedom from the evil. That was what he did . He had enough pains & sufferings from the ruthless wicked so called animal trainers in that bloody circus. Those greedy for money & profit scumbags who abuse & torture such magnificient animals should burn in hell for ever. There are no excuses for abuse of animals, whether it is a small or a big animal they all deserve to be respected & loved.